5 Natural Foods that Boost Energy

If you get up every
morning feeling sluggish, and even that
cup of coffee doesn’t do much
to “wake you up”, it’s
probably because your body lacks
the essential nutrients required to ensure that you’re always
ready to seize
the day. Though
the recent trend
amongst people is to take energy
supplements that the
market is flooded
with, you must
know that they come with many
side effects like mood swings,
palpitations, insomnia, and headaches. Therefore, the best
way to increase your energy
levels is to improve your dietary habits. Here
are five natural
foods that boost
energy:

Almonds –When it comes to choosing the perfect snack, almonds should, undoubtedly, be your top choice. Packed with nutrients like magnesium and B vitamins, almonds work wonderfully towards boosting and maintaining energy levels. Magnesium plays an essential role in energy metabolism, and the lack of it can cause you to get tired very quickly. Though B vitamins don’t particularly increase energy levels, their deficiency can impact your cellular function and thus result in fatigue, mood swings and reduced concentration. To avoid piling on the pounds, keep your intake of almonds to a fistful.

Bananas – This delightful fruit
has a reputation for being
a natural digestive aid, but did you
know that it also helps
boost energy? Bananas
are rich in potassium
that keeps the bones healthy and strengthens muscles.
Potassium is also responsible for the transmission of nerve signal
and contraction of muscle that are
both necessary during
physical activity. Bananas
also contain fiber
that stimulates the removal of toxins from
the body, the buildup of which can result in fatigue and low energy levels.

Beetroot – If you are a fitness
freak, adding beetroot
to your diet will do you
wonders. A study published in the Journal of Applied Physiology conducted on men aged 19 – 38 cycling
on exercise bikes
reported that beetroot juice consumption
can increase stamina. This is because the nitrates contained in beetroot juice
help increase
the levels of nitric oxide in the body, thereby
impacting essential functions like blood
flow, cell signaling and hormone levels.
It, in turn, helps improve stamina. Beetroot also offers
many health and
beauty benefits like
improved cardiovascular health, reduced
cancer risk, reduced
acne and prevention of dandruff, etc.

Lemonade – Dehydration is a common reason
for people to feel fatigued. One of the best ways
to keep yourself
hydrated is to continue sipping
on lemonade all day.
Doing this will
not only prevent
dehydration, but it will also
give your body an
electrolyte boost needed
for your cells
to produce energy.
To keep your
drink healthy, sweeten it with honey
instead of sugar.

Whole Grains
– Did you know
that carbohydrates provide
almost 60% of your daily energy needs? Though carbs
have a bad rep for making you fat, it’s
the choice of carbs that make all the difference.
Complex carbs prevent sudden blood sugar spikes and offer more
sustained bouts of energy. It’s
best to begin
your day with whole grains
like oats, cereal,
quinoa and whole
grain bread.

Apart from improving your diet, make sure that you also catch up on at least 8 hours of sleep every day. Drink a lot of water and break down your meals into smaller portions. If despite making these lifestyle changes, the symptoms persist, Sehat can help you find highly experienced neurologists and psychiatrists in your city to assist you in identifying and treating the cause of your chronic fatigue.